Granted, this is a hobby for me, but I still appreciate efficiency. I picked up a few items from uncle Bob, most notably, a pair of the speed clamps. I'm not really sure why I waited so long on these, but I will most likely be adding one more pair to my stash. They are really, really great!. I also got a long life filter bag for my CT22, which, when combined with my DIY separator, should last for a VERY long time!. I still have 2 or 3 paper bags to consume before I install it, so I have nothing to report as to its effectiveness.
The best recent addition, however, is the Domiplate from RonWen. This thing is GREAT! I did two test cuts to get the feel for it, then made two very large file drawers for a project I'm working on for a friend of mine using the 5mm "domi-drawer" technique someone else came up with. 48 mortises in 1/2 baltic birch ply came out PERFECTLY! I must say that I actually prefer using the Domino inverted, as my hands are quite large, and the inversion moves the dust collection chute to the opposite side of my dominant (right) hand, making it far easier to grip the barrel of the machine (as opposed the the "fishtail" that I had to do before). I can not recommend his widget highly enough. Another of those "why did I wait so long" accessories. THANK YOU RON!!!
I also need to give credit to PaulMarcel, as I was watching some of his video reviews, of which the MFK700 came up. Now, the interesting thing is that PaulMarcel actually bought MY MFK a while back, and I hadn't even plugged it in or taken the plastic off of the base plates yet. His video review inspired me to give the tool a second chance. I found one locally that had only been used 1 time in the horizontal configuration (the vertical base still had the plastic on it) and picked up the full kit for $300! I did plug this one in, and used it to chamfer the edge of my enormous work table. I'll use it for many things, I'm sure, but if I happen to sell this one, I at least want there to be SOME dust on it... [big grin]
I also spent a bit of time creating some extension wings for my MFT1080. I ended up making them 20" wide and 30" long and they fold up to the sides of the table when not in use. They are primarily for supporting longer sheets during the crosscut process, but they are sturdy enough that I can use them for almost anything. I could have procured a couple of the Festool extensions, but they are not quite as wide (or as much fun to build). I did use these during the drawer building tonight, and they work great.
After I finish the built-ins for my buddy, my next shop project will be to build a rolling miter station for the Kapex. I considered asking Santa for the UG-set, but I don't usually take mine out of the workshop, so I have a hard time justifying the expense, and it will be another skill building project for me. The idea is to have a cart about 30" wide with wings about 30" long (each) for most of my use, but I also have an 8' x 12" folding shelf that I plan on putting an auxiliary fence on with a T-track and filp-stops for longer cuts that I will be able to "dock" the saw to as needed. This shelf is in an otherwise awkward area in my shop that isn't very useful for anything but storage.
After I finish a few more odds and ends, I plan on posting a photo/video tour of my humble digs...
The best recent addition, however, is the Domiplate from RonWen. This thing is GREAT! I did two test cuts to get the feel for it, then made two very large file drawers for a project I'm working on for a friend of mine using the 5mm "domi-drawer" technique someone else came up with. 48 mortises in 1/2 baltic birch ply came out PERFECTLY! I must say that I actually prefer using the Domino inverted, as my hands are quite large, and the inversion moves the dust collection chute to the opposite side of my dominant (right) hand, making it far easier to grip the barrel of the machine (as opposed the the "fishtail" that I had to do before). I can not recommend his widget highly enough. Another of those "why did I wait so long" accessories. THANK YOU RON!!!
I also need to give credit to PaulMarcel, as I was watching some of his video reviews, of which the MFK700 came up. Now, the interesting thing is that PaulMarcel actually bought MY MFK a while back, and I hadn't even plugged it in or taken the plastic off of the base plates yet. His video review inspired me to give the tool a second chance. I found one locally that had only been used 1 time in the horizontal configuration (the vertical base still had the plastic on it) and picked up the full kit for $300! I did plug this one in, and used it to chamfer the edge of my enormous work table. I'll use it for many things, I'm sure, but if I happen to sell this one, I at least want there to be SOME dust on it... [big grin]
I also spent a bit of time creating some extension wings for my MFT1080. I ended up making them 20" wide and 30" long and they fold up to the sides of the table when not in use. They are primarily for supporting longer sheets during the crosscut process, but they are sturdy enough that I can use them for almost anything. I could have procured a couple of the Festool extensions, but they are not quite as wide (or as much fun to build). I did use these during the drawer building tonight, and they work great.
After I finish the built-ins for my buddy, my next shop project will be to build a rolling miter station for the Kapex. I considered asking Santa for the UG-set, but I don't usually take mine out of the workshop, so I have a hard time justifying the expense, and it will be another skill building project for me. The idea is to have a cart about 30" wide with wings about 30" long (each) for most of my use, but I also have an 8' x 12" folding shelf that I plan on putting an auxiliary fence on with a T-track and filp-stops for longer cuts that I will be able to "dock" the saw to as needed. This shelf is in an otherwise awkward area in my shop that isn't very useful for anything but storage.
After I finish a few more odds and ends, I plan on posting a photo/video tour of my humble digs...
